Green Book is a 2018 American comedy-drama film about a tour of the Deep South in the 1960s by African-American classical pianist Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) and Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen), a white Italian-American bouncer who served as Shirley's driver and security. Directed by Peter Farrelly, the screenplay was written by Vallelonga's son Nick Vallelonga, with Farrelly and Brian Hayes Currie. The film gets its title from The Negro Motorist Green Book, a mid-20th century guidebook for African-American roadtrippers, written by Victor Hugo Green.
Green Book had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2018, where it won the People's Choice Award.[5] It was theatrically released in the United States on November 16, 2018, by Universal Pictures.[6] The film received positive reviews from critics, with Ali and Mortensen's performances being lauded, and was chosen by the National Board of Review as the best film of 2018.
Green Book began a limited release in the United States, in 20 cities, on November 16, 2018, and expanded wide on November 21, 2018. The film was previously scheduled to begin its release on the 21st. The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2018.
While promoting the film at a panel on November 7, 2018, Mortensen caused controversy when he used the word "nigger" while comparing dialogue "that's no longer common in conversation" to the period the film is set. The next day Mortensen responded by saying: "Although my intention was to speak strongly against racism, I have no right to even imagine the hurt that is caused by hearing that word in any context, especially from a white man. I do not use the word in private or in public. I am very sorry that I did use the full word last night,and will not utter it again."